Tips to Drive Traffic to Your Website

It doesn't matter how great your website is if no one sees it. There are several easy ways to optimize your website and help drive traffic to it. This article will touch on three of the ways. The first called search engine optimization (SEO) will get your website found. The second uses social media or social media optimization (SMO). And the third, writing a blog to promote your website.

Search Engine Optimization

You might be wondering what is Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and how will it help my website? SEO can be defined as "the simple activity of ensuring a website can be found in search engines for words and phrases relevant to what the site is offering."

Using SEO techniques such as keywords (terms and phrases) will help search engines such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo generate traffic to your website. Search engine keywords target traffic (people) looking for what your website has to offer. Websites that have invested the time to use the keywords people search for will have a greater rate of return.

Depending on your drive to learn the core concepts of SEO, the time you have to commit, and how complex your website is will determine if you should implement search engine optimization on your own or if you should have an expert handle it for you. Whether you optimize your website yourself or have an expert do it, be sure you add Google Analytics or another version to track how much traffic your website is receiving.

Be sure your website does not contain errors. Search engines may not be able to index your website accurately if it contains errors. Information about common problems can be found in Google Webmasters.

For additional information about SEO a good source of information is available from Google SEO

Social Media Optimization

Using social media outlets to promote your website is another way to get traffic to your content. Social Media Optimization (SMO) effectiveness is parallel to that of SEO in that both have the goal of creating awareness and driving traffic to a website. While the focus of SMO is not search engine oriented increasingly SEO searches use feedback, such as Likes or Shares, to rank a website in search results.

Social media uses various outlets to generate interest in a website, product, or cause. One technique used to generate interest is called viral marketing. This powerful form of SMO relies on "word of mouth" to create publicity. Another way to harness the power of social media is the use of sharing buttons on your website. Boost page views by asking visitors to share your website with others. Pin non-copyrighted images and graphics from your website to a Pinterest account. Eighty percent of Pinterest activity is produced by repinning.

Posting interesting or relevant information or images to your Facebook page including a link to your website will spread the word about your website. Link your Facebook account to a Twitter account so your facebook posts are automatically shared on Twitter.

Creating a Twitter account allows you to Tweet about your articles, products or services. Use hash tags (#) to add to relevant topic streams. Include links to get viewers to your website or material. And remember to use the link to your website in your Twitter bio.

Join LinkedIn and include the URL for your website in your profile. If you have time, start a group that targets your niche. Make sure to mention your geographical location in the description of the group to create a more focused group.

Build your credibility and project your website or product as a principal in the field with these traffic generating tips. Providing readers with interesting and informative blogs is an ideal way to guide viewers to your website and bring them back for more. Choose topics that are of interest to viewers of your website and include both the hot topic of the day and evergreen topics, those that have timeless value.

When writing your blog, research keywords. This can be done using the Google Keyword Search Tool. Write dynamic headlines and use keywords in the headlines of your blog to help raise your posts higher in search engine results.

Whenever possible write a guest blog or comment on blogs in a related field. Include the URL to your website in your description about yourself and how to reach you for additional information. Market your blog articles to sites such as Ezinearticles.com, Ehow.com and Buzzle.com. Remember to include keywords that link back to your website.

Blogs should be updated regularly. Several times a week is good, daily updates is better. If you don't have time or need help getting blogs written, hiring a ghost writer through an outsourcing service can help keep your blogs fresh.